Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Reconciling God and Hell

Visiting with a Christian friend a few years ago, he pointed out that one of the most difficult concepts of Christianity is reconciling a loving God with the concept of hell. There are many aspects of hell that people find disturbing in trying to understand why God would have such a place. What are some of the arguments individuals have problems with and how can these arguments be resolved?

Third, God does not want to destroy (annihilate) beings that were created in His image.

Concerning finite sins with an eternal hell, finite crimes on earth are given life sentences. What is God to do for those who incessantly rebel against their Creator, except to confine them for all eternity away from Himself.

To think that a person could go through their whole life constantly ignoring him (God), constantly mocking him by the way they choose to live without him, saying, 'I couldn't care less about what you put me here to do. I couldn't care less about your values or your Son's death for me. I'm going to ignore all of that' - that's the ultimate sin. And the only punishment worthy of that is the ultimate punishment, which is everlasting separation from God. [3]

6. Isn't there a better way God could have taken instead of sending people to hell?

Again, God does not send individuals to hell, they freely choose to go there by rejecting God.

No other options exist without God violating man's free will. Without free will man does not have the capacity to love God. God desires our love, but respects our right to reject Him.

For those who reject God, "There is an increasing isolation, denial, delusion, and self-absorption. When you lose all humility you are out of touch with reality. No one ever asks to leave hell. The very idea of heaven seems to them a sham." [4]

The better way is found in the person of Jesus. No one has to go to hell, for God has opened the door to heaven for all who accept the free gift of Christ (Revelation 3:20).

1 comment:

Hello,
Welcome to my blog. I enjoy writing about the Lord and knowing Him better. I also enjoy discussions of apologetics (defending the Christian worldview). I hope these posts resonate with your heart and cause you to think concerning the only true God in existence.

Certified Apologetics Instructor

I am certified as an apologetics instructorthrough the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. I am part of the Northwest Convention and am available to talk to church classes or interested groups on a variety of apologetic topics. Below is a current list of the talks that I can present. I also can speak on any apologetic subject that is not on the list if you would like to have me present.

Current talks available:

1. Apologetics: Help Wanted (general discussion on apologetics and the need for apologetics in the Church today).

2. Can We Trust The New Testament?

3. Where Do Moral Values Come From?

4. Darwin, Knowledge and Truth

5. Did Jesus Rise?

6. Cosmological Fine-Tuning (an argument for God from Design)

7. Irreducible Complexity (an argument for design and against Darwin's view of evolution)

8. Would An All-loving God Condemn Anyone To Hell?

9. Religious Pluralism: Do All Roads Lead To God?

10. The Problem Of Evil

11. Where Does God Come From?

12. Is Abortion The Taking Of Innocent Life?

13. Chopping The Cultural Forest With An Acts 17 (How to engage culture that is skeptical of Christianity)

14. Latter - Day Dialogue (How to dialogue and engage the Mormon missionary)